This one spice can help improve your memory, says science

As if we needed another excuse to order a Saturday night curry, research has just revealed that a popular spice in Indian cuisine may help boost our memory and mood.

Yep, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, have discovered that daily consumption of curcumin – which is found in turmeric, and gives many Indian dishes their bright yellow colour – may offer an unexpected health benefit.

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The study, published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, examined the effects of a curcumin supplement on memory in adults with mild, age-related memory issues.

In the experiment, which involved 40 people aged between 50 and 90 with mild memory complaints, participants were randomly assigned either a placebo or 90 milligrams of curcumin twice a day for 18 months.

They received cognitive assessments, blood tests and brain scans at the start of the study, and then at six-month intervals throughout it.

And, lo and behold, those who were consuming curcumin experienced significant improvements in their memory, improving their test results by an average of 28% over the year and a half period. Meanwhile, those who took the placebo experience no such improvements.

Their brain scans also showed they had less protein build-up in the areas of the brain linked to memory issues compared to the placebo group.

Previous studies have shown that curcumin has beneficial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and it has been cited as a possible reason why older people in India – where it's a dietary staple – have a lower prevalence of Alzheimer's disease.

'Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain infammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimer's disease and major depression,' said lead author Dr Gary Small in a release.

'These results suggest that taking this relatively safe form of curcumin could provide meaningful cognitive benefits over the years,' he added, although the team now plan to re-test their findings in a larger study.

Anyway, not sure about you, but we're definitely getting a takeaway tonight! Or, if you fancy cooking something yourself, check out this easy chicken curry recipe that contains turmeric.